International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women [fr]

→ Observations

Alarming figures:

• 1 in 3 women in the world has suffered physical and / or sexual violence in their lifetime, most frequently by an intimate partner, every day, 137 women are killed, including more than one third by a spouse or ex-spouse.
• 243 million women and girls aged 15 to 49 have experienced sexual and / or physical violence from an intimate partner in the past 12 months.
• 71% of all human trafficking victims worldwide are women and girls, and 3 out of 4 of these women and girls are sexually exploited.
• Currently, it is estimated that 650 million women and girls worldwide were married before the age of 18.

• The Shadow Pandemic: Some of the measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 have led to an increase in domestic and intra-family violence against women and girls. This "shadow pandemic" has been denounced by the UN Secretary-General and UN Women. At issue: the increased exposure of those already living in relationships marked by violence, the increased burdens and stress associated with household responsibilities and childcare as well as the loss of means of subsistence, the restriction opportunities for social contact; and limited access to community services and support.
• Schools closure further exposes girls and adolescent girls to domestic violence, early and forced marriage, and early labor. Nearly 11 million girls and adolescents may never find their way back to school after leaving school.
• Usual primary health services have been disrupted by the pandemic, resulting in reduced access to essential health services for women and adolescent girls, particularly care related to sexual and reproductive rights and health. These cuts put women’s lives at risk and undermine gender equality. In particular, UNFPA estimated that six months of severe disruption to health systems in 114 low- and middle-income countries could prevent 47 million women to access contraceptives, leading to nearly 7 million unintended pregnancies.

→ France’s actions

Gender parity is a priority for France.
France is particularly mobilized in the fight for the elimination of all forms of violence against women, at several levels.

• Gender parity is the great cause the five-year term. The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs carries this commitment internationally through its feminist diplomacy. France is advocating gender equality in international forums and wants this goal to be taken into account in all issues from inequality reduction to sustainable development, peace and security, defence and promotion of fundamental rights, and climate and economic issues.

• France, in co-chairmanship with Mexico, will host the “Generation Equality” Forum organized by UN Women, which will be held in 2021. This summit will be the occasion for States, international organizations, NGOs, civil society and the private sector to meet and make commitments together to advance women’s rights and turn them into a great global cause by 2025 or 2030.

• Since 2006, France has presented, together with the Netherlands, a biennial resolution to the UN General Assembly entitled "Intensification of efforts to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls". The resolution passed this year focuses in particular on the theme of the "shadow pandemic".

• France is behind the first Group of Friends aimed at eliminating sexual harassment, which now has more than 50 members.

• France reiterates its call on all States to ratify and implement without reservation the UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

In coordination with its European and international partners, France has been leading since 2018 a campaign aimed at securing the universal adoption of the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

• On the occasion of the General Assembly high-level event organized in September 2020 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing, Emmanuel Macron reiterated France’s commitment to defend women’s rights in the world and announced the creation of a fund of €120 million dedicated to feminist organizations active in developing countries.

● France has also announced a contribution of €6.2 million between 2020 and 2022 to the International Fund for Survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence. This fund is based on the work of Nobel Peace Prize laureates Dr. Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad. Its mission is to enable survivors of conflict-related sexual violence to access compensation, reparations, and help them reintegrate society.

● Thanks to the action of the Center for Crisis and Support of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and in accordance with the commitment made by the President of the Republic to Nadia Murad, Nobel Peace Prize, one hundred Yazidi women, a population particularly targeted by Daesh, and their children were welcomed in France in 2019.

In order to strengthen the international momentum to put an end to this violence, France is supporting the UN initiative "Orange the world: #HearMeToo" which aims to increase awareness on this topic.